________________
MAHĀVĪRA : THE MESSIAH
OF MERCY
Vardhamān Mahāvīra -
Born a prince in the principality of Ksatriyakundagrāma of the republic of Vaiśāli, Vardhamān Bhagvān Mahāvīra was the apple of the eyes of His parents - Noble king Siddhārtha of the Jñāțrlineage and his charming queen consort, Trišala, the beloved daughter of famous king Cetaka of Videha. He became the twenty-fourth and the last Tīrthařkara (Prophet Propounder of the Jaina faith).
Birth -
He was born on the midnight of the thirteenth of the bright half of the lunar month of Caitra in the year 599 BC when the moon was in conjunction with the Uttarā-falguni constellation. There are a number of incidents associated with His birth. Some of them are equally believed by both the Svetāmbara and the Digambara traditions and on some there are differences of opinions between the two. However, they are as follows: - 1. As a Tīrtharikara to be he was endowed with the three
perceptions - Sensory, Scriptural and Clairvoyant - since
his conception in the mother's womb. 2. His mother to be had the vision of fourteen divine and
auspicious dreams', which only the mothers to be of the
Digambara tradition believes in 16 auspicious dreams.
